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The tank top can be a tricky move. But the payoff is high: do it right, and you’re king of the beach. And now that the summer solstice is set firmly in our sights, it’s inevitable to begin daydreaming of weekend afternoons spent tropical-drinking and shoulder-bronzing.

Most importantly, you’ve got to set yourself some ground rules: must be within walking distance of water, preferably on an island—Manhattan has the additional requirement of a rooftop—and play it loose. Once you’ve got that down, it’s on to the tank itself. And we haven’t found anything better than the tanks from SoHo’s beach-bum-savants at Saturdays Surf. They’re a bit more substantial than your average Maui and Sons number, and the patterns and pocket give them a touch more sophistication—you’ll want to get as much of that in as possible.

And remember, the tank is more than just a shirt, it’s a state of mind.

They’re more like upper-rib pockets than breast pockets—a trick they cribbed from WWII-era field shirts. Originally, the idea was to allow for more storage and easier access to ammo or a trusty field map, but in our case, “ammo” and “field map” would probably be replaced by “phone” and “notepad” when heading out for the day.

Sure, it might look a bit askew at first glance, but we’re in Louis Sullivan’s camp on this one: form follows function.

The pocketed dress shirt is an endangered species. At most, you’ll see a single, open breast pocket, but add in a couple button-flaps and you’re in work shirt territory, and it’s farther than most are willing to go.

But not everyone, apparently. We just got our hands on these pics from the recently relaunched British firm E. Tautz, and they’re boasting more prominent pockets than we’ve seen in some time. Of course, because of the British connection, we’re guessing they were after the colonial look, but it’s still an awful lot to have on your chest. Even if it looks a lot better than we would have guessed.

Putting It Together: Assembly, the omnisexual store from one of the creators of Scout, is picking up all kinds of press. [We Are The Market]

Misunderestimating: President George W. Bush tells French President Nicholas Sarkozy of his wife, Carla Bruni, "I can see why you married her". Apparently his degree from Yale was in stating the obvious. [BBC]